The present disclosure relates to a sheet conveying apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the same.
In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, a toner image is formed on a photosensitive drum of an image forming section, and the toner image is transferred onto the sheet in a transfer nip portion. The image forming apparatus further includes a fixing section, and the sheet onto which the toner image has been transferred is subjected to a fixing process in the fixing section and then discharged.
The image forming apparatus as described above includes a paper feed device disposed to feed sheets to the transfer nip portion. The paper feed device includes a sheet cassette and a manual feed tray. In addition, a first sheet conveying path extending from the sheet cassette and a second sheet conveying path extending from the manual feed tray are joined in a conveying path joining section before reaching the transfer nip portion. Therefore, in order to selectively communicate any one of the first and second conveying paths with the transfer nip portion, a swingable switching guide member is disposed in the conveying path joining section.
Further, there is an image forming apparatus including an elongated shaped switching guide member, as seen from a cross-section in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction. In this image forming apparatus, as an upper end side of the switching guide member pivots around a supporting point disposed at a lower end part of the switching guide member, the sheet conveying path is switched.